The Orc King (Forgotten Realms: Transitions, #1; Legend of Drizzt, #17)

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The Orc King (Transitions #1)

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 4,764 ratings · 109 reviews

Drizzt is back, and facing a world changed forever!

An uneasy peace between the dwarves of Mithral Hall and the orcs of the newly established Kingdom of Many-Arrows can’t last long. The orc tribes united under Obould begin to fight each other, and Bruenor is determined to finish the war that nearly killed him and almost destroyed everything he’s worked to build. But it will...more

ebook, 359 pages

Published October 7th 2008 by Wizards of the Coast (first published 2007)

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Dec 08, 2012 Jimmy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jimmy by: Barnes & Noble.com

Shelves: ebook, fantasy, young-adult-teen

The war with the orcs continues. Obould’s throne is threatened by Grguch, the chieftain of Clan Karuck. The Karuck clan has inter-bred with ogres to make bigger, stronger, and superior warriors. The orcs are divided by those who want to continue fighting until they have claimed Mithral Hall, thus serving the desires of Gruumsh One-eye, and those who seek not just peace between the races, but a recognized kingdom of their own to rule, the Kingdom of Many-Arrows. But, Grguch is not the only one in...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Jimmy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult-teen

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Oct 09, 2011 Steve rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Early on in my Forgotten Realms novel reading career, I was a big fan of Drizzt. Like so many others, he was my gateway into the Forgotten Realms, via the Dark Elf trilogy. Since my debut into the Forgotten Realms, and my increasing familiarity with the setting as a whole, my enthusiasm for Drizzt has lessened and lessened. I still pick up the Drizzt novels, however, and I waited until The Orc King was in paperback before picking it up.

I normally think that buying hardcover books- barring certai...more Early on in my Forgotten Realms novel reading career, I was a big fan of Drizzt. Like so many others, he was my gateway into the Forgotten Realms, via the Dark Elf trilogy. Since my debut into the Forgotten Realms, and my increasing familiarity with the setting as a whole, my enthusiasm for Drizzt has lessened and lessened. I still pick up the Drizzt novels, however, and I waited until The Orc King was in paperback before picking it up.

I normally think that buying hardcover books- barring certain special circumstances- is a rip off, and had I purchased the hardcover copy of this book, I’d be very angry. As it is, I feel that the book, as a whole, wasn’t worth the $7.99 I paid for it.

The most important- I feel- part of the book is the prologue and the epilogue. For the longest time, until the preview excerpts of the FRCG and the FRPG began funneling out- this was our only glimpse into the world of the Forgotten Realms after the Spellplague. After having read the FRCG, and seeing how the Silver Marches are more at odds with the Kingdom of Many-Arrows, we have another R.A. Salvatore continuity gaffe here. What’s new?

The plot of the book, overall, was, to put it bluntly, very poor. The entire part of the book in which Bruenor and friends go looking for what he though to be Gauntlgrym is unnecessary. The entire point of that entire plot was for Bruenor and friends to find the manuscripts of the infamous Orc philosopher (were it not for someone telling me in advance, I might have thrown the book across the room at that point!). Having the protagonists find the manuscripts elsewhere, tied up neatly in a few pages, would have freed Mr. Salvatore a whole bunch of pages to further develop other storylines. For example, had there been more in-depth discussion about the dissent in the camps of the Orcs, the book would have benefited a great deal. I’m still wondering what the point of “Jack the Gnome” was. The character was completely unnecessary, and being dead, will serve no more purpose. What was the point? All of the time and pages spent on Wulfgar returning Colton to her real mother? Again, unnecessarily long. Could have seen less of that, and more development on other, more important issues.

Much of the book just seemed too “heavy handed”, in my opinion. For example, the reason of Alustriel appearing in the novel only seemed to be to turn Cattie-Brie into a magician. The entire point of “Jack the Gnome”- perhaps the worst character I’ve ever read in a Forgotten Realms novel, if I do say so myself- only seemed to be to turn Cattie-Brie into a magician. There was way too much of that going on, for my tastes.(less)

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May 14, 2010 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a perfectly fine example of mind candy. The story continues the whole saga created earlier by Salvatore. Unfortunately, like most Dungeons and Dragons type books you will be out in the cold if you haven't read the others. Because it's one of THOSE series. And it doesn't really go anywhere even though it threatens to. Sigh.

I am not sure whether these books should be read by someone who has played Dungeons and Dragons. The first issue is that it is really, really, faithful to the gam...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Christopher rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hmm. I guess I'm not feeling the Drizzt books like I used to (it was one of my first fantasy series I've read for an extended length of time). I didnt really care about anything from the Orc's point of view if it was not Obould b/c of the way the book begins.

At the beginning of the book, you see Drizzt 100 years in the future, which actually surprised me. I had forgotten a friend told me that later books are WAY later, after most of the characters are long dead I assume. Anyway, since it tells y...more

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Jan 16, 2012 Forgotten Realms Queen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-realms, high-fantasy, fantasy

I am a loyal, undying fan to few authors. And despite the fact that I freely admit his series can be considered fluff, (quick and relatively easy to read) R.A. Salvatore is one of them. Mostly because of the fact that his Drizzt series introduced me to the world of the Forgotten Realms, Dungeons and Dragons and thusly into my current role playing game passion.

We are introduced to Drizzt Do'Urdern, an elf of a very dark, chaotic, malicious, and evil race called the Drow within Homeland. Set apart...more

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Mar 13, 2010 Daisy added it · review of another edition

I grabbed The Orc,Pirate,& Ghost King or the "Transitions Trilogy" to have books on the night stand while waiting for others to come in, & The Orc King sucked me back. Not that I haven't enjoyed Salvatore's (Forgotten Realms) Drizzt books. It's just that I have always had other books come in while in the middle of reading a Drizzt book, and went straight to them as soon as I was finished.
Salvatore has been a savior for me with his Drizzt books, when I'm in between a series or waiting fo...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Brenda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Typical RA Salvatore writing, with action, adventure, character development (aka human interest), and Drizzt's philosophical musings. Though we demand more of the beloved renegade dark elf Drizzt, Salvatore hands it to us in ways we wouldn't imagine. The hatred of King Obould generated throughout the Hunters Blade trilogy takes an unexpected twist in the first of this Transitions series. I actually began to respect the orc.

The battles were amazing, the depth and pain of Cattie-brie being left be...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Orc King by R.A. Salvatore picks up a few months after the events from The Two Swords in the Hunter's Blades trilogy. Winter is waning and the stand-off between Mithril Hall and King Obould Many Arrows is about to come to a head...the main plot, to me, was split into a couple of different ones. There is the continued guessing of what is to happen between the two Kingdoms and then there is another dealing with some of King Obould's followers looking to create an alliance with another tribe of...more The Orc King by R.A. Salvatore picks up a few months after the events from The Two Swords in the Hunter's Blades trilogy. Winter is waning and the stand-off between Mithril Hall and King Obould Many Arrows is about to come to a head...the main plot, to me, was split into a couple of different ones. There is the continued guessing of what is to happen between the two Kingdoms and then there is another dealing with some of King Obould's followers looking to create an alliance with another tribe of half-orcs/half-ogres. A couple of subplots are dropped here and there, such as, Wulfgar's search and then his final decision which wraps up a couple of previous subplots from books long ago and the creation of a new subplot I can see developing in the future. Then there's Catti-brie, who may have to look into some changes to help her continue fighting against the enemy. Also, King Bruenor's search for an ancient city turns up more than he can possibly come to grips with.

While the story is typical Salvatore fare, you can expect pretty much the same thing as previous books. Great storytelling, flow, and multiple points of view from different characters. He continues to have great characters that help to draw the reader into the story. His descriptions of landscapes, action, and everything is top notch. The drawback to being typical Salvatore fare is that the majority of the book was predictable. I would like to go into detail, however, it would result in spoilers, so I will refrain. Now, not everything was predictable, but the vast majority was. The good thing about it being predictable is if you are a die hard Salvatore fan and I like things remaining as they are, then you will not be disappointed. This book does jump around a lot, but in short enough bursts that the reader doesn't get lost of forget what is going on in the other parts. Everything comes together nicely in the end and flows to a good conclusion.

Some criticisms:
1. While it is nice to get acquainted with old characters and look to reading a favorite author's works, this book was a bit off on keeping me mesmerized and turning the pages. Usually I can sit down with a whole Drizzt trilogy and move right through all three. This book just didn't have that appeal to me. I did enjoy it, no doubt, but the novel felt slightly lacking.
2. Sometimes I like being able to guess what may happen and seeing a writer choose that path. The predictability with this one, however, was too much and caused the story to miss out on being great.

Some positives:
1. Usually when a writer continues long sagas with the same characters over and over, the characters, though well loved, become just the same old hat. While there is a lot of sameness to the original cast, Drizzt, King Bruenor, Catti-brie, Wulfgar, and Regis there is also some new character developments going on that is starting to refresh them and give them new life.
2. The caveat to the predictability criticism is that I was able to get the same level out of the book that I have come to expect with reading Salvatore. I'm talking about great fight scenes and detailed depictions of the battles. Also the way he paints the landscape in the background without over detailing and bagging the story down.
3. Salvatore seems to be taking away the characters immortality. In the other books, most of the time it just seemed that no matter the danger, the companions will always triumph; no need to worry about them. This book has taken a bit of that away and now the danger feels more real.

Overall, this was an excellent novel, and a solid continuation to the Drizzt saga. Fans of the realms and Salvatore will no doubt enjoy this one. I recommend this to fans of the Forgotten Realms and fans of fantasy as well if you've just started this series, I would recommend going back and treating yourself the The Legend of Drizzt series and then continue through the rest of the books.(less)

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Jul 27, 2011 James added it · review of another edition

The definition of "anatopism" is an inconsistency in place. It is similar in meaning to "anachronism." I found much of this book satisfying, with the exception of Salvatore's anatopic, increasing philosophical proselytizing. To his credit, it is less polemical than in his older novels, and he now at least tries to create parallels between his obviously-real-world observations and the invented world of the Forgotten Realms. It remains annoying, however, despite his modicum of advancement in veris...more

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Jun 02, 2012 Stanley rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

As is the title of the Trilogy "Transitions", this book book made allot of transitions for its main characters. Since the book was mostly consisting of such, there was not a rich of an overall story since instead of gathering multiple threads into a single consolidated ending, the threads started from a rope and unwound as they went.

Of all of the transitions started or hinted at in the book, I think the most interesting is that of Cattie-brie. Whether she will continue on the past she was nudged...more

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Dec 02, 2008 Jeff rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

The Drizzt books are a guilty pleasure for me, and this one was akin to the previous few. Enjoyable reads, but a bit cookie-cutter and the characters are just way too "uber" to relate to. Is this a new thing? No.

I appreciate that there is some character depth as far as seeing the internal struggles of the protagonists. That's a good thing. That said, it seems that there was no real challenges besides those. Physically the protagonists FAR outclass any of the antagonists: they are veritable comb...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Kirk rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There is just something about this series, this author. I love Drizzt. My wife bought the first three books for me one Christmas a few years back and I looked at her, shocked that she would buy me a D & D book. The only D & D series I ever got into before then was the Dragons Trilogy by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman, which I loved. Boy was I surprised when I realized that R.A Salvatore was one of the best authors ever. The fight sequences are by and far the best, most well written act...more

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May 30, 2012 Sarah Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, war

I have been a fan of R. A. Salvatore and Drizzt since I was 14. Still, I have been putting off the Transitions trilogy for a long time. The Hunter's Blades trilogy was a disappointment, so it was hard to get myself excited about reading more. I actually ended up enjoying The Orc King though. It was good to see the Companions back together. All in all, the story was engaging, too. If I could give fractional ratings, I'd have rated this higher.

(If this weren't book #17 in a series, I would elabora...more

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May 10, 2013 David Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The war between the orcs and the dwarves has ended in an uneasy truce. Both sides think that it can’t last. Obould wants to build a new kingdom, a kingdom for orcs. He sees a chance to create a kingdom like other races, to build cities, to engage in trade. This is not in the orcish tradition. Many of his followers are waiting for the war to start again. The dwarves do not trust the orcs. Orcish nature is to kill and plunder. Some of Obould’s closest advisors are working against him in the shadow...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Eric Class rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Orc King is the first in another Drizzit Trilogy. This trilogy, however, brings Drizzit's adventures to an end with his normal companions. After the great Orc War, everyone has gone their seperate ways. His trusty dwarven friend Bruenor must make peace with the Orc King, which is hard enough without someone else working in the shadows to destroy everything they are trying to do. Drizzit is thrust into another adventure which forces him to use his wits rather than his blades against enemies t...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Matt rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, epic-fantasy, own, 2012, audiobook-library-loan

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I know this is part of the larger Drizzt series, but this book and this individual series really does not stand well on its own. This was the first Salvatore book that I have read and I felt a bit lost throughout the book. The characters were all introduced in previous novels and I really missed much of their back-stories. On the positive side, the action in the book was well written and very entertaining. I really liked the character of Drizzt...more

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Jun 13, 2011 Livy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy-fav-shelf, sci-fi-fantasy

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Salvatore is a true literary genius and artist! He's written 17 books about Drizzt, and EVERY SINGLE ONE has been amazing! Never have I been bored by him; everything is intriguing; everything has a story. And this new series makes no exception.
The first chapter instantly sucks you in! The glimpse into our beloved Drizzt's dark future makes your heart ache and your desire to read him all the greater! You can tell something in between the present and then...more

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Sep 04, 2010 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I started playing Dungeons & Dragons back in 1978. Back then (and for some time) the best known D&D world was "The World of Greyhawk". In that world finding magic (a magic item such as a magic sword or a simple magic spell for example)was an unusual occurrence. To find even a minor magic item was a cause for celebration.

This book and the other Drizzt books take place in "The Forgotten Realms". Magic is....a bit more common in the realms. As a matter of fact I suspect that dairy farmers...more I started playing Dungeons & Dragons back in 1978. Back then (and for some time) the best known D&D world was "The World of Greyhawk". In that world finding magic (a magic item such as a magic sword or a simple magic spell for example)was an unusual occurrence. To find even a minor magic item was a cause for celebration.

This book and the other Drizzt books take place in "The Forgotten Realms". Magic is....a bit more common in the realms. As a matter of fact I suspect that dairy farmers probably have "magic milking stools", chefs possibly have "magic paring knives", and quite possibly tailors and seamstresses have "enchanted needles and threads"...you get the idea. In the Realms it sometimes seems possible to "trip over" magic items. Drizzt himself carries 2 magic scimitars and wears magic "anklets" that him to move blindingly. The story is full of magic bows, war hammers...and every other magic item one can imagine.

Now, writing a story or novel with all this magic everywhere (it seems to me) must be much different and more difficult than using it in a game. I mean how hard must it be to write "over and over again" about Drizzt drawing his magic blades and spinning away using his magic "anklets" while still sounding original and not sounding hokey? I love fantasy, enjoy Sword and Sorcery, and as noted enjoy D&D, so I always think I should enjoy these books more than I do.

This one simply failed to hold my interest. I kept finding my mind wandering off. Even with Drizzt's lady love (who's name sounds like a house pet that won't stay out of the cheese "Catti-brie") crippled and the Orcs becoming more sympathetic (or potentially sympathetic) characters, I kept losing interest. Even during battle scenes. So, I'd say that this will appeal to hard core Forgotten Realms fans and hard core Drizzt fans. It might also serve if you're just craving an "infusion" of S&S. I wanted to like it more than I did but just didn't really get into it. Will I follow it up with the rest of the Orc trilogy? I don't know yet. I'm not planning to now, maybe later. I had a bad cold for a couple of weeks and wanted an audio book to listen to (bad headache, couldn't really read a print book) when I started this...given a situation like that or something similar, maybe. But no plans to start it now. I really wish I'd like it better. (less)

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Nov 30, 2010 Dan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay so it took me forever to read this book because uncharacteristically, I actually read the book and didn't listen to the audiobook. It started out as my lunch book I kept in my car, but then got transferred to the bathroom book because lunch time is for textbooks now.
I'll have to admit, I didn't really get into this book at first, it actually took me a long time. I even thought to myself, I'll probably give up on Drizzt after this one (having read all the previous Drizzt novels). But I actu...more

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Apr 12, 2010 Robert rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Orc King by R.A. Salvatore is the first book in the Transitions trilogy. The second book is The Pirate King followed by The Ghost King. Other works in the Forgotten Realms by R.A. Salvatore include: The Legend of Drizzt series, The Sellswords trilogy, The Hunter's Blades trilogy, and The Cleric Quintet.

The Orc King (TOK) picks up a few months after the events from The Two Swords in The Hunter's Blades trilogy. Winter is waning and the stand-off between Mithril Hall and King Obould Manyarrows...more The Orc King by R.A. Salvatore is the first book in the Transitions trilogy. The second book is The Pirate King followed by The Ghost King. Other works in the Forgotten Realms by R.A. Salvatore include: The Legend of Drizzt series, The Sellswords trilogy, The Hunter's Blades trilogy, and The Cleric Quintet.

The Orc King (TOK) picks up a few months after the events from The Two Swords in The Hunter's Blades trilogy. Winter is waning and the stand-off between Mithril Hall and King Obould Manyarrows is about to come to a head... The main plot, to me, was split into a couple of different ones. There is the continued guessing of what is to happen between the two kingdoms and then there is another dealing with some of King Obould's followers looking to create an alliance with another tribe of half orcs/half ogres. A couple of subplots are dropped here and there, such as, Wulfgar's search and then his final decision which wraps up a couple of previous subplots from books long ago and the creation of a new subplot I can see happening in the near future. Then there's Catti-brie, who may have to look into some changes to help her continue fighting against the enemy. Also, King Bruenor's search for an ancient city turns up more than he can possible come to grips with.

While the story is typical Salvatore fare, you can expect pretty much the same thing as previous books. Great story telling, flow, and multiple points of view from different characters. He continues to have great characters that help to draw the reader into the story. His descriptions of landscapes, action, and everything is top notch. The drawback to being typical Salvatore fare is that the majority of the book was predictable. I would like to go into detail, however, it would result in spoilers, so I will refrain. Now, not everything was predictable, but the vast majority was. The good thing about it being predictable is if you are a die hard Salvatore fan and like things remaining that way, then you will not be disappointed. This book does jump around a lot, but in short enough bursts that the reader doesn't get lost or forget what is going on in the other parts. Everything comes together nicely in the end and flows to a good conclusion.

Some Criticisms:

1. While it is nice to get acquainted with old characters and look to reading a favorite author's works, this book was a bit off on keeping me mesmerized and turning the pages. Usually i can sit down with a whole Drizzt trilogy and move right through all three. This book just didn't have that appeal to me. I did enjoy it, no doubt, but the novel felt slightly lacking.

2. Sometimes I like being able to guess what may happen and seeing a writer choose that path. The predictability with this one was too much and caused the story to miss out on being great.

Some Positives:

1. Usually when writer continues long sagas with the same characters over and over, the characters, though well loved, become just the same old hat. While there are a lot of sameness to the original cast, Drizzt, King Bruenor, Catti-brie, Wulfgar, and Regis, there is also some new character developments going on that is starting to refresh them and give them new life.

2. The caveat to the predictability criticism is I was able to get the same level out of the book that I have come to expect with reading Mr. Salvatore. I'm talking about great fight scenes and detailed depictions of the battles. Also the way he paints the landscape in the background without over detailing and bogging the story down.

3. Mr. Salvatore seems to have taking away the characters immortality. In the other books, most of the time it just seemed that no matter the danger, the companions will always triumph. no need to worry about them. This book has taken a bit of that away and now the danger feel more real.

Overall, this was an excellent novel and a solid continuation to the Drizzt saga. Fans of the realms and Mr. Salvatore will no doubt enjoy this one. I recommend this to fans of the Forgotten Realms and fans of fantasy as well. If you've just started this series, I would recommend going back and treating yourself to The Legend of Drizzt series and continue through the series. The only series not directly connected to Drizzt is The Cleric's Quintet, but you may also want to read that one as well. More great characters and great fun to be had there.
Happy Reading.

-Dimndbangr(less)

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Oct 26, 2008 Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone and Everyone I meet

Shelves: fantasy, own

Well even though I read this book only a year ago when it first came out, it is still an amazing book. Salvatore never ceases to amaze with his writing prowess. Both morally inspirational, and written beautifully, Salvatore writes with the same technique, speed, and skill that his character, Drizzt, fights with. Here are a few insights to both of those aspects of his writing.

INSIGHTFUL
- "Quit being afraid of who you are, of who you might dare to be, deep inside." (92)
- "...emotions cloud the rat...more Well even though I read this book only a year ago when it first came out, it is still an amazing book. Salvatore never ceases to amaze with his writing prowess. Both morally inspirational, and written beautifully, Salvatore writes with the same technique, speed, and skill that his character, Drizzt, fights with. Here are a few insights to both of those aspects of his writing.

INSIGHTFUL
- "Quit being afraid of who you are, of who you might dare to be, deep inside." (92)
- "...emotions cloud the rational, and many perspectives guide the full reality. To view current events as an historian is to account for all perspectives, even those of your enemy." (1)
- "That was all they could do in the end, really. Do their best, accept their mistakes, and go on to a better way." (64)
- "In an honest analysis, change is the basis of fear, the idea of something new, of some paradigm that is unfamiliar, that is beyond our experiences so completely that we cannot even truly predict where it will lead us." (81)
- "It is not just boredom that propels my steps along paths unknown, but a firm belief that the guiding principle of life must be a search not for what it is, but for what it could be..." (165)
- "The ideal is achieved only when the ideal is sought. The ideal is not a gift from the gods, but a promise from them." (165)

FIGHT SEQUENCE
- "...he had used the battered and dazed orc king merely as a springboard to launch himself at his real quarry.
"Grguch twisted frantically to get his axe in line with the Dwarf's weapon, but Bruenor, too, turned as he flew, and his buckler, emblazoned with the foaming mug of Clan Battlehammer, crashed hard into Grguch's face, knocking him back.
"Grguch leaped up and came right back at Bruenor with a mighty chop, but Bruenor rushed ahead under the blow, butting his one-horned helmet into Grguch's belly and sweeping his axe up between the orc chieftain's legs. Grguch leaped, and Bruenor grabbed and leaped back and over with him, the pair flying away and tumbling down the hill. As they unwound, Grguch, caught with his back to the dwarf, rushed away and shoulder-rolled over the hill's lowest stone wall.
"Bruenor pursued furiously, springing atop the wall, then leaping from it, swooping down from on high with a mighty chop that sent the blocking Grguch staggering backward.
"The dwarf pressed, axe and shield, and it took Grguch many steps before he could begin to attain even footing with his newest enemy..." (325)(less)

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Feb 03, 2009 Joe Moley rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In fine Salvatore speak.... And oh how this book sucked! I don't there is another author in existence that uses the exclamation point 1347 times on one page of text better than this guy.

I'll always have a soft spot for Drizzt and crew having grown up a fan of the original Crystal Shard trilogy. However, these guys should be retired. The story is cookie cutter crap with nothing different from any of the earlier texts. ***Spoiler Alert***Oh wait, they're too powerful to fight orcs, so let's have...more

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Jan 17, 2008 Matt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm a Drizzt fan, as long as he keeps pumping out the books, I'll keep reading them. Pretty standard Salvatore, with a slight twist. The Prologue is set a hundred years or so in the future, with the "good" races living near an orc kingdom presided over by King Obould the 6th - letting us know immediately how the book is going to end. Interesting idea, not sure I like it since it takes away some of the mystery and removes and chance that Drizzt dies any time soon. Not that that's a huge surprise,...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Brandy Camel rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another mediocre effort in the Drizz't saga. I'm afraid I'm not at the point where I'm enjoying these books, so much as I'm reading them out of a sense of closure.

Nothing in here is particularly original or even exciting, but if you need to set the stage for the Spell Plague, a lot of the (now older) lore leading up to this point for the Silver Marches region will be in here. That would be the only reason I'd recommend reading it. At least it was a good companion on the treadmill for a few week...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Dan Rheingans rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although this is more of the same Salvatore Drizzt fare, i.e. hack and slash fantasy, I felt like the Orc King was a good story and an enjoyable read overall. It is much better than some of the later books in the main Drizzt arc in my opinion. The story is a quick read and avoids some of the excessive philosophical prattling that some of the earlier reads have. Overall I enjoyed this book. It's a nice light fantasy read, and just what you would expect from a Salvatore Drizzt book.

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Nov 19, 2009 Dave rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I just finished this one today and it was enjoyable, but being the first in another trilogy it left some things hanging like Wulfgar's future.
I did like a lot of what happened in the book although you could sort of see where it was going pretty early on. I don't want to spoil anything, but Drzzt fans won't be too disappointed. It has some nice surprises in it and yet again some of Salvatore's villians seem more fleshed out then his heroes.

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Nov 26, 2011 Rick Staten rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As far as the character drizzt is concerned these stories are getting a little repetitive and old. The book started out with a lot of promise being set a hundred or so years in the future and i wish that Salvatore would get to that point quickly in his next few books to explore drizzt life as he moves on after the death of his companions (through old age or whatever else the author can come up with)

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Feb 25, 2013 Emily Mann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I adored this latest Forgotten Realms book a lot. The look into the future was a perfect touch to cement the overall power of the story, and it was a new way for fans of the series to see the story progress. Overall the action was strong, as always. Though I do wish that there had been more drawn out action. The moral quibble of the story was honest and poignant.

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Sep 12, 2011 Bruce rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Over the course of the past three years I've gradually consumed the bulk of the Drizzt novels - starting at the chronological beginning and leaving off at the end of The Orc King. What I like most about the series is watching the gradual evolution of the characters...their strengths, weaknesses, relationships and philosophies. In this latest book we see once again that these heroes (and villains) are not merely cardboard cutouts, but entities who take on many dimensions and who truly come alive...more

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About R.A. Salvatore

As one of the fantasy genre’s most successful authors, R.A. Salvatore enjoys an ever-expanding and tremendously loyal following. His books regularly appear on The New York Times best-seller lists and have sold more than 10,000,000 copies. Salvatore’s most recent original hardcover, The Two Swords, Book III of The Hunter’s Blade Trilogy (October 2004) debuted at # 1 on The Wall Street Journal best-...more As one of the fantasy genre’s most successful authors, R.A. Salvatore enjoys an ever-expanding and tremendously loyal following. His books regularly appear on The New York Times best-seller lists and have sold more than 10,000,000 copies. Salvatore’s most recent original hardcover, The Two Swords, Book III of The Hunter’s Blade Trilogy (October 2004) debuted at # 1 on The Wall Street Journal best-seller list and at # 4 on The New York Times best-seller list. His books have been translated into numerous foreign languages including German, Italian, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Turkish, Croatian, Bulgarian, Yiddish, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Portuguese, Czech, and French.

Salvatore’s first published novel, The Crystal Shard from TSR in 1988, became the first volume of the acclaimed Icewind Dale Trilogy and introduced an enormously popular character, the dark elf Drizzt Do’Urden. Since that time, Salvatore has published numerous novels for each of his signature multi-volume series including The Dark Elf Trilogy, Paths of Darkness, The Hunter’s Blades Trilogy, and The Cleric Quintet.

His love affair with fantasy, and with literature in general, began during his sophomore year of college when he was given a copy of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings as a Christmas gift. He promptly changed his major from computerscience to journalism. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communications from Fitchburg State College in 1981, then returned for the degree he always cherished, the Bachelor of Arts in English. He began writing seriously in 1982, penning the manuscript that would become Echoes of the Fourth Magic. Salvatore held many jobs during those first years as a writer, finally settling in (much to our delight) to write full time in 1990.

The R.A. Salvatore Collection has been established at his alma mater, Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, containing the writer’s letters, manuscripts, and other professional papers. He is in good company, as The Salvatore Collection is situated alongside The Robert Cormier Library, which celebrates the writing career of the co-alum and esteemed author of young adult books.

Salvatore is an active member of his community and is on the board of trustees at the local library in Leominster, Massachusetts. He has participated in several American Library Association regional conferences, giving talks on themes including “Adventure fantasy” and “Why young adults read fantasy.” Salvatore himself enjoys a broad range of literary writers including James Joyce, Mark Twain, Geoffrey Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dante, and Sartre. He counts among his favorite genre literary influences Ian Fleming, Arthur Conan Doyle, Fritz Leiber, and of course, J.R.R. Tolkien.

Born in 1959, Salvatore is a native of Massachusetts and resides there with his wife Diane, and their three children, Bryan, Geno, and Caitlin. The family pets include three Japanese Chins, Oliver, Artemis and Ivan, and four cats including Guenhwyvar.

When he isn't writing, Salvatore chases after his three Japanese Chins, takes long walks, hits the gym, and coaches/plays on a fun-league softball team that includes most of his family. His gaming group still meets on Sundays to play.

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Books by R.A. Salvatore

Homeland (Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, #1; Legend of Drizzt, #1)

Exile (Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, #2; Legend of Drizzt, #2)

Sojourn (Forgotten Realms: The Dark Elf Trilogy, #3; Legend of Drizzt, #3)

The Crystal Shard (Forgotten Realms: Icewind Dale, #1; Legend of Drizzt, #4)

The Halfling's Gem (Forgotten Realms: Icewind Dale, #3; Legend of Drizzt, #6)

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Quotes from The Orc King

“I don't have to prove my worth and value to any but those I love, and that I do by being who I am, with confidence that those I love appreciate the good and accept the bad. Does anything else really matter?” — 43 people liked it

“emotion clouds the rational, and many perspectives guide the full reality. To view current events as a historian is to account for all perspectives, even those of your enemy. It is to know the past and to use such relevant history as a template for expectations. It is, most of all, to force reason ahead of instinct, to refuse to demonize that which you hate, and to, most of all, accept your own fallibility.” — 6 people liked it

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